Frendel Kitchens
ALL FRENDEL CABINETRY IS MADE AT OUR ON-SITE MANUFACTURING FACILITY
President’s message
President and Founder
When I arrived in Canada in 1963 as a 20-year-old immigrant from Croatia, I would never have dreamed that today, 60 years later, I would look back on my life as that of an accomplished entrepreneur and business owner.
This great country of Canada encouraged entrepreneurship and it has given me the opportunity to fulfill my dreams.
I have been blessed with a family that has supported me in all of my endeavors, dedicated and skilled employees, loyal customers and suppliers, and a circle of friends that have made this journey rewarding and exciting.
Optimism has been my guiding principle.
Even in the most difficult times, I have been a problem-solver and have strived to look towards the positive, always looking for innovative solutions and new ways of doing things. Optimism has certainly served me well over the years.
Having worked hard to build Frendel, it has been a deeply satisfying experience to reflect on the events, the people, the challenges and the achievements that have shaped half a century.
It is my hope that through the story we tell here on our website outlining Frendel’s creation, along with our origins and history, emphasizes Frendel Kitchens Limited presence and influence in the industry, now and in the future.
I look forward to the future with great optimism, excitement and pride as Frendel forges ahead.
At the heart of Frendel’s mission is the goal to help people, a reflection of Tony’s self-perception as a person and as an entrepreneur. Even today, on occasion Tony will get in his car and visit a job site to complete a measure. It allows him to keep his business relationships infused with a personal touch.
Frendel’s philosophy is built on the following beliefs: working hard and doing whatever necessary to succeed; building long-term relationships through trust; helping people by whatever means possible; creating an environment where everyone, from employees, to builders, to suppliers is treated with respect and as part of the Frendel family; manufacturing and fully standing behind the best possible quality product; and rewarding good work and loyalty.
From humble beginnings out of a garage in west-end Toronto…to our current corporate headquarters in Mississauga, all Frendel cabinetry is made at our on-site manufacturing facility.
Our history
Frendel Kitchens was founded by Tony Deltin in 1968.
Nearing six decades in business, the company has grown to include the Frendel Kitchen and Bath Design Studio, Doma Doors, and Metric Woods, all centrally located in the thriving hub of the Greater Toronto Area.
Tony arrived in Canada in 1962 from Croatia as a carpenter by trade. His entrepreneurial streak emerged early and he combined hard work with the seizing of opportunities that came his way, to begin his journey to owning a thriving business.
Today, Tony remains the owner and President of Frendel Kitchens Limited and his three sons, Mark, Rob, and Greg, work alongside him and support his vision in continuing the Frendel legacy.
Looking forward, 2025 marked the launch of a new digital chapter: a refreshed Frendel website designed to reintroduce the brand to the public, supported by an expanded social media presence and engagement strategy—laying the foundation for the next phase of visibility, accessibility, and continued growth. Built with intention, led by consistency, our mission remains clear: family values, forward vision, and lasting commitment.
With over fifty years since its founding, Frendel Kitchens continues to be a family business where two generations of the Deltin family work together to drive the company’s continued success.
While the pandemic brought restrictions and uncertainty, manufacturing was designated as an essential business and Frendel took on the challenge of continuing operations while ensuring their employees remained safe and healthy and maintaining output.
The COVID-19 crisis brought unexpected opportunity in the form of a residential new construction housing boom and Frendel reaped the benefits of this unforeseen increase in housing starts.
Building on the success in supplying kitchens for the low-rise single-family home market in new construction, the Aughts saw Frendel expand into another significant market segment: high-rise condominium developments. Well-suited for the high-volume production needed to supply towers as high as 56 stories, Frendel fortified their reputation as an industry leader.
Frendel celebrated their half-century in 2018 and toasted to the continued success of the organization.
Expanding on the success of the dealer network, Frendel diversified further into the marketplace, capitalizing on B2C sales and adding to their already successful B2B formula.
In 2010, the Frendel Showroom and Design Studio was launched with a grand opening. Aligning with a growing trend for versatility in the market, Frendel timed this launch with a showcasing of new door styles and finishes to reach previously untapped markets. Frendel’s designers work with clients one-on-one.
An emphasis on vertical integration as a core business principle also guided Frendel acquisitions in the new century. This model ensures that Frendel meets its standard of consistently high-quality product in times of exponential growth. The Frendel “tree” as it’s known within the organization, references the group of companies Frendel evolved into: Metric Woods for mouldings (2003), Doma Woodworking for doors (2006), and Venlam (2007) for veneer and laminate. Additional space for production and more new machinery supported Frendel’s continued growth and success.
The company expanded its reach by establishing a dealer network, allowing it to offer kitchens directly to the public. This era also marked a pivotal transition, as the three sons — Mark, Rob, and Greg — formally joined the business they had spent their formative years watching their parents build. Their involvement helped shape the next chapter of growth, bringing renewed energy to the legacy their parents had established.
As the new millennium arrived, Frendel’s transition from shop to factory was complete. Personnel were in place, and the enhanced workflows technology offered continued to enhance productivity.
Frendel was now well-positioned to take on the new century.
As a manufacturer capable of large-scale production of high-quality cabinetry for the new construction industry there was no shortage of customers.
While Frendel’s main geographical focus was on the GTA and Hamilton, emerging areas with new developments as far west as Kitchener and south to Niagara Falls offered new opportunities for expansion.
Shawson Drive, which remains Frendel’s current corporate and manufacturing headquarters, expanded further in the mid-90’s, with Tony’s business acumen once again guiding Frendel’s future. The purchase of surrounding properties fuelled Frendel’s jump to a now 120,000 square-foot facility and seeing their number of employees double.
New machinery, automated processes, and a commitment to embracing computerization in the late 1990’s supported the culture of growth. Implementation of software further endorsed Frendel’s competitive edge in the market as use of technology became a business standard.
Despite a major recession that impacted the North American economy in the ’90’s, Frendel continued its growth trajectory, increasing production space from 20,000 to 55,000 square feet in 1994. The move to the Shawson Drive location aligned with Tony’s vision of Frendel’s future. He was determined not only to weather the economic conditions, but to come out of them stronger. His goal of Frendel as the high-volume, high-quality kitchen manufacturer of choice among builders was supported with further investment.
Tony recognized that a transition from shop to factory was now necessary for Frendel to expand. Finding the property at Watline Avenue in Mississauga and investing their own money along with further backing from RBC and the Business Development Bank of Canada allowed the construction of the new Frendel factory to begin. At 20,000 square feet, a production line was now part of the equation, and this fuelled Frendel’s growth. Annual sales tripled almost instantly, and the Deltin family began to see the return on their investment after almost two decades of sacrifices and putting money back into the company.
Toronto’s housing market remained strong into the 1980’s. Tony honed his relationship-building skills, cementing Frendel as the reliable choice for builders, providing a necessary service, with a high-quality product, delivered on time. Managing growth was also an ongoing priority—the 1980’s saw Frendel triple its production space and increase from 8 employees to 35.
Tony became the sole owner of Frendel Kitchens in 1975 and was able to increase his line of credit with the bank. He met his wife, Carole, on a blind date, and the rest, as they say, is history. Carole joined Tony at Frendel once they were married and they continued to build the business together.
As the decade wrapped up, Frendel was a workforce of eight people, poised for further growth as the GTA building boom continued.
Frendel’s early years were not without challenges, but population growth in the GTA resulted in a demand for housing that gave Frendel a start in the development market, supplying kitchens to new home developers. The business relationships Tony built sustained Frendel and allowed them to move to a larger location, a 3500-square-foot space at 9 Givins Street in 1970. By 1973, Frendel had outgrown the space and moved to a new 6500-square-foot shop at 21 Windsor Street in 1973.
A line of credit from the Royal Bank of Canada, with his business partner, Frank Zagoda, began Tony’s journey into entrepreneurship. Operations began in a garage in the west-end of Toronto at the corner of Dundas and Ossington streets. The small shop was outfitted with a table saw, a compressor, and some other cabinetry-making tools.
The name Frendel comes from the combination of ‘FREN’ from Frank and ‘DEL’ from Deltin.
With that, in 1968, Frendel Kitchens was born.
Tony Deltin arrives in Canada via the MS Saturnia at Pier 21 at Halifax, Nova Scotia. This pier was Canada’s gateway for newcomers at the time. With $20.00 in his pocket, he made his way by train to Montreal. His language struggles were compounded with the bilingualism of the region. In 1964, he moved to Toronto where he found a community of other Croatians with ties to home.
